NEWS FLASH

Gov. Nikki Haley Orders State Workers To Act Cheerful On The Phone | Since she took office, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) has tried to slash state employees’ health care and retirement benefits and waged a relentless crusade against the National Labor Relations Board for enforcing pro-union laws in her state. Now, after threatening their livelihoods, Haley is mandating that state workers cheerfully answer phones with the phrase, “It’s a great day in South Carolina.” The normally staid Associated Press couldn’t resist quipping, “Never mind the state’s 11.1 percent jobless rate and the fact that one in five residents are on Medicaid.” She issued the order at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, arguing the phrase will put workers in a better mood and remind them that they work for the public. It’s unclear if workers who do not use the phrase will be punished.